Feds Indict Ensign Staffer Whose Wife Ensign Slept With

Douglas Hampton is a former top aide to Senator John Ensign, and at this point he must really be hating his old boss. Federal prosecutors have hit Hampton with seven charges of conflict of interest, which were discovered during an investigation of whether Ensign tried to cover up his affair with Hampton's wife. (Ensign's parents gave the Hamptons $96,000 as a gift in April 2008. The Nevada senator admitted to the affair in June 2009.)

The charge against Hampton is connected to the fact that he left Ensign's employ in April of 2008, but lobbied Ensign's office on behalf of an "airline and energy company," according to USA Today, before a year had passed; ethics rules require a one-year "cooling off" period for congressional staffers before they can lobby their old pals.

So Hampton has gotten caught up in a federal investigation of Ensign's affair with his wife. In an additional bitter pill, the Feds announced late last year that they're not planning to charge Ensign with anything. Hampton has called on Ensign to resign; Ensign has said he won't see reelection next year.

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.

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